Pope in Turkey

In a couple of days, Pope Benedict XVI is to visit Turkey. Turkey is 99.8% Muslim, so what is the Supreme Pontiff up to there?

A few days after his election, the Pope announced an "imperative to engage in authentic and sincere dialogue" with other Christian churches and other religions on April 25th, 2005, specifically reaching out to Islam:

"I am particularly grateful for the presence in our midst of members of the Muslim community, and I express my appreciation for the growth of dialogue between Muslims and Christians, both at the local and international level. I assure you that the Church wants to continue building bridges of friendship with the followers of all religions, in order to seek the true good of every person and of society as a whole."

Turkey's President Ahmet Necdet Sezer invited Benedict in September of 2005 to visit during 2006. The only prior instance of a Papal visit to Turkey was Benedict's immediate predecessor, Pope John Paul II in 1979.
The event is portrayed in the American media as provocatively controversial. This simplistic journalism stems from the hype over the Pope's speech at the University of Regensburg on September 12, 2006 in which he referenced a 14th century theological debate that labeled Islam "evil and inhuman". Reading the speech called "Faith, Reason and the University Memories and Reflections" the central theme is "Not to act reasonably, not to act with logos, is contrary to the nature of God", as attributed to Manuel II. Regardless, the message delivered through the international press was the Pope had slandered Islam and there was much international fallout from this speech. Pope Benedict issued an open address on September 25th, To The Ambassadors Of Countries With A Muslim Majority And To The Representatives Of Muslim Communities In Italy, that spoke of "esteem and the profound respect" for Muslims, referenced the Second Vatican Council 1965 declaration to respect Islam, and wished Muslims well for Ramadan. Indeed, 38 Muslim scholars across the globe wrote an Open Letter to Pope Benedict XVI acknowledging "your quote does not reflect your personal opinion", while also referencing Vatican II, quoting the New Testament, and encouraging "frank and sincere dialogue" while debating some of the conclusions drawn from the debate the Pope quoted.

Despite the desires of some in the media to escalate the visit to a Monday Night Football stylized clash of ideologies, the facts indicate nothing confrontational. And why would a Pope decide to go to a Muslim nation to criticize Islam? Why would that nation invite him? All sentiments spoken indicate quite the opposite if anything. So this appears in all ways not a crusade by Benedict to rebuke Islam. The fact of the matter is this trip was planned a year before the Pope's Regensburg speech even started an international outcry and suspicions of the Vatican's positions on Islam.

Why is he going there if not to clash Christian ideals with Islamic faith? In 2005 CNN outlined the motivations of the Turkish invitation and Papal visit clearly and understandably. The Pope wanted to address "treatment of its non-Muslim minorities and its continued refusal to open a Greek Orthodox seminary on an island near Istanbul." Turkey wanted to assist its candidacy of Turkey for the European Union. Neither aim is explicit in Benedict's Agenda & Turkey's Schedule. Time will soon tell if they wrap themselves in theological rhetoric and embrace interfaith dialogue or pursue political aims through these means or both. If recent events are repeated, whatever actually transpires will assuredly be truncated and filtered into as small a slice as possible, with as little effort to convey meaningful information, in a unsuitable and probably misinformed news item.

That is, unless Britney Spears gets remarried that week... In that case we may never get to know what happened in Turkey.